Nook Store Debut Shelved

Barnes & Noble has pushed back the date when in-store shoppers will be able to fondle a Nook, the chain's e-book reader. Demo units won't reach stores until Dec. 7, though shipments to customers will begin today as planned.

One thing we're not clear about: Whether stores will receive any inventory to sell, or only demo units. Barnes & Noble has said it's sold out for the holiday season, so it makes sense that all available inventory would go to its pre-order customers. But we've reached out to the company and will update if we hear back.